Pyongyang says it found remains of crashed S. Korean military drone

North Korea claimed on Oct 19 it had discovered the remains of at least one crashed South Korean military drone in the capital Pyongyang, releasing images of the aircraft that some analysts confirmed as South Korean, while a lawmaker suggested it might be a replica.

The nuclear-armed North recently accused Seoul of using drones to drop anti-regime propaganda leaflets on the capital.

Pyongyang's Defence Ministry spokesman said the security authorities found the remains of a crashed drone during a search on Oct 13, the official KCNA news agency reported.

The North's investigation "scientifically proved that the drone came from the ROK", the unnamed spokesman said, using South Korea's official acronym.

South Korea's military initially denied sending drones, but has subsequently declined to comment. "There is no value in verifying or responding to North Korea's unilateral claims," it said in a brief statement on Oct 19.

North Korea has previously warned it would consider it "a declaration of war" if another drone was detected.

The North Korean official claimed the drone was of the same type as a vehicle-mounted drone displayed by the South Korean military during an Armed Forces Day event in Seoul in 2023.